


Sunshine and Spice

by rebel_ren



Series: Drabbles Against Despair [10]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Childhood Memories, Food, M/M, Meet-Cute Redux, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:01:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23322874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebel_ren/pseuds/rebel_ren
Summary: Alec's trudging up the stairs towards his place when he smells something delicious and familiar. Something he's attempted to recreate and never been able to. What will he find when he follows his nose?
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Drabbles Against Despair [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1666300
Comments: 19
Kudos: 70





	Sunshine and Spice

**Author's Note:**

  * For [A_Taupe_Fox](https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Taupe_Fox/gifts).



> Prompt (from the lovely Taupe): "They live next to each other, and one of them always cooks delicious smelling food, and one day the other one needs help with cooking or something, or just really wants to know what the smell is, and knocks on the door?"
> 
> Okay, honestly, I didn't address the prompt that directly - LOL - but this was what ended up happening so... hope you enjoy, friend!

Alec is walking up the stairs towards his apartment, when the smell of food stops him in his tracks. Just like that, he’s a kid again, peering over the counter in their neighbour’s kitchen.

When Alec was seven, a new family had moved in next door: Sasithorn Bane and her son, Magnus. ‘Ms. Sasi,’ as Alec had come to call her, had welcomed all of the Lightwood children, but Alec was the one who’d really latched onto both of them. He’d spent every available waking moment over at the Bane’s, gravitating towards their sunny kitchen. He’d been fascinated by the food she cooked, the processes she’d used. He’d asked a million questions and taste tested many dishes.

And then, Alec and his family had returned home after a vacation only to find that Ms. Sasi and Magnus were gone. It seemed they’d moved away in the past week, leaving no trace of their existence, not even a note.

It had hurt, but eventually, Alec had concluded that, sometimes, life doesn’t give people a chance to say goodbye. He’d cherished his memories of time in the kitchen with Ms. Sasi, that interest in food and flavour driving him to pursue a cooking career.

In the years since, Alec has tried time and again to replicate the rich sophisticated flavours he’d experienced during that time, basking in the light of Ms. Sasi’s smile, laughing and joking with Magnus. But somehow, no matter what he tries, how much research or experimentation he does, it never turns out _quite_ right.

But now, in this moment, Alec’s transported back to those moments by the scent that lingers in the air, rich and complex and spicy. He doesn’t intentionally change his course, but without really questioning why, he follows his nose, winding up in front of apartment 17-B.

Alec knocks on the door, full of excitement and hope, though he doesn’t let himself think about what he’s hoping for.

A minute later, a man opens the door, and Alec’s heart does a funny kind of twist. He swallows hard.

“Magnus?” he asks, not sure if it’s just wishful thinking, him creating connections where there are none.

“Yes?” the man asks, his brow creasing. Alec’s heart sinks, but then Magnus takes another step closer, his eyes darting over Alec’s face.

“Alec?” Magnus asks slowly, his tone full of question and disbelief.

Alec _smiles,_ his heart feeling like a helium balloon, floating away with the relief and joy of it.

“Yeah,” he says, laughing a bit. “Yeah…”

-

Magnus invites Alec in and they talk for hours. Alec tries the delicious curry Magnus had been in the process of making. Magnus calls his mother, and Alec cries when he hears her voice. He cries again when he hears their story, the reasons they had to leave and couldn’t get back in communication. But he can feel the truth of it when Magnus says that they’re in a good place now, that he and his mother are happy and well.

And though he won’t let himself think about it just then, Alec knows that… he’s found more than his past tonight. The moment he’d seen Magnus’ beautiful face, he’d felt hope beyond anything he could express, and after all their conversation, Alec knows he’s met the face of his future.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to prompt me here or on twitter, if you are so inclined :)


End file.
